New York's status as one of only two states yet to sanction professional mixed martial arts events is a dubious one - and it's costly. As the end of the 2013 session nears, the Legislature should finally give America's fastest growing sport a fair hearing.

For the fourth time, the state Senate overwhelmingly voted this year to permit MMA. Outdated arguments against legalizing the sport, which too often boil down to individual fancy, should no longer block the matter from reaching the Assembly floor.

While this page consistently stands against coarse culture and violence, today's productions by organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator are a far cry from the no-holds-barred brawls of decades past.

To gain mainstream acceptance, these companies have ditched the gritty edge that rightly got MMA banned from New York in 1997 - thickening rulebooks to protect athletes, and meeting the demands of states' athletic commissions.

New York residents, for their part, have worked around lawmakers. Several of MMA's most captivating stars, including Rochester native Jon Jones, train and live in this state. Their fans are among the thousands who pour across state lines to see their idols compete in spots like Newark, N.J., and Toronto. Let's keep their dollars here.

An independent study says MMA could generate upwards of $100 million in economic activity for New York in two years. Further, the UFC vows to hold four events in New York each year - three upstate. No wonder Gov. Andrew Cuomo thinks New York ought to seriously consider the sport.

Joe Morelle, sponsor of the MMA bill in the Assembly, has the votes. The Irondequoit Democrat must now leverage his stature as majority leader, and his unflinching loyalty through controversies that recently rocked his caucus, to coax embattled Speaker Sheldon Silver to allow a vote.